D&D (2024) Here's The New 2024 Player's Handbook Wizard Art

 

[Older Beholder]

art is not immune to being criticised for how well it's depicting what it's meant to be depicting just because it's art.

Wait till you hear about abstraction.

 

[ezo]

As far as I know, critiques can be positive. Or bad. Or both. Or neutral.

True...

I know what you are getting at with these, but...

instead of just "i personally don't like the pose and the glasses, but the picture in the right context is a fine piece of art."

I don't care for the pose, I couldn't really care about the glasses (just found it surprising for the reasons I've stated upthread), but I don't think this is a fine piece of art--not at all.

Or "the glasses and the pose are ok, but I personally really do prefer more old school wizards"

Glasses I could take or leave (I like the idea of them being magical lens), but the pose is awful, and she really doesn't convey the concept of "wizard" in any way at all IMO.

This is why I think the critique above was fine, because the distinction between personal preference and objective assessment of the picture was clear.

I suppose, I am simply not used to seeing things that are "criticized" as being praised. But in all honesty, I don't bother viewing / reading what "critics" write.

 

[Hussar]

was that even criticism though? 'it's not to my taste' and 'i assume it'll be placed in apropriate context',

art is not immune to being criticised for how well it's depicting what it's meant to be depicting just because it's art.

But, here's the thing. His criticism was entirely personal and made no broader claims. Which is perfectly fine. No one is going to question this.

But, when you say something like, "this looks like Storm" to use the example, it automatically begs the question of, "how does this look like Storm?" Or the idea that the pose is particularly egregious. Again, the first question that comes to mind is, "how is this pose particularly bad?"

Since the pose is pretty much a standard power pose that you'll find in tons of genre art, plus in pretty much any dance routine produced in the past thirty or forty years - jazz hands anyone? - calling it a terrible pose seems a bit... off? And then there's claims that this doesn't represent a wizard at all. Again, that's a pretty tall order and one that calls for some actual back up before you can make that bold statement.

After all, it was pointed out that this picture looks a LOT like a WoW priest. That's a criticism that can be backed up pretty easily. It really DOES look like a WoW priest. Fair enough. I can't argue against that.

But, "the pose is awful"? "she really doesn't convey the concept of "wizard" in any way at all IMO."? Those are pretty bold statements that are hardly immune to response.

 

[ezo]

And then there's claims that this doesn't represent a wizard at all. Again, that's a pretty tall order and one that calls for some actual back up before you can make that bold statement.

Why? It is my (and others') opinion. I don't need to "back up" an opinion. It is just the way I feel about it. I don't see why people can't just accept that... I mean, people "agree to disagree" all the time--this is such a case to me.

 

[Vaalingrade]

When you put your opinion out into the public eye, you are implicitly inviting people's opinion of that opinion.

And if you add reasoning, you are implicitly inviting critique of that reasoning.

119+ pages of critique on the reasoning if one were to say... continually double down.

 

[ezo]

When you put your opinion out into the public eye, you are implicitly inviting people's opinion of that opinion.

And if you add reasoning, you are implicitly inviting critique of that reasoning.

119+ pages of critique on the reasoning if one were to say... continually double down.

So, apparently, no, people cannot simply accept an opinion is just an opinion.

 

[gban007]

Why? It is my (and others') opinion. I don't need to "back up" an opinion. It is just the way I feel about it. I don't see why people can't just accept that... I mean, people "agree to disagree" all the time--this is such a case to me.

Well, you don't need to back up an opinion - I don't think anyone is forcing you to. But people don't have to just accept that either, they can ask for back up, or form their own opinion on any back up or lack thereof.
People can agree to disagree, but they don't have to agree to disagree either.
People can choose to accept an opinion is just an opinion or not - but even if they accept it is just an opinion, doesn't mean they can't respond with their own opinion on your opinion, and then you get to respond to their opinion with a new opinion of your own if you want to as well, it can be opinions all the way down.
If people want to be able to express an opinion with no response, then generally community forums aren't the best place for this, proper review sites are better for this really I think, as can put in reviews without people responding to them (I think while some allow for responses, you can generally toggle whether to have response or not).
(Really feel like I've typed opinion too much).

 

[Vaalingrade]

So, apparently, no, people cannot simply accept an opinion is just an opinion.

People are simply engaging with the concept of a 'discussion' forum.

 

[MNblockhead]

I think we all missed an important detail in this painting. She's wearing bodywear with gloves under her other clothes...

(like this...this example was the most appropriate image for posting here without offending Morris's grandmother)

...but she cut off the fingers.

Now, I'll admit to having worn gloves with the top halves of the fingers cut off, and smoking Swisher Sweets Cigarillos, but I was 19 and a ridiculous person.

So can we please spend the next 50 pages discussing whether:

(A) she just has great, trend-setting fashion sense;

(B) she is a ridiculous young apprentice (seems too powerful of a castor, but maybe she stole her professor's glasses of spell storing), or

(C) Somatic components don't work for casting unless the tips of your fingers are uncovered.

Surely this is an important and compelling detail that deserves more attention than her glasses, what spells she's casting, or the colors of her outerwear.

 

[Chaosmancer]

We've had a lot of negative comments about the art, so I want to throw in one thing I really like, especially the more I look at it. We've talked a bit about the art being a moment in time, like a big spell during a fight, but actually I want to shift that.

I love that this looks like a massive ritual spell to me. The tomes floating around her, leaking Arcane power that she pulls into the runic sphere of her spell, the arcane precision of what if it were animated I imagine to be rotating and spinning sigils upon the shield. Out of any class that could be called a "ritualist" I've always felt the wizard was the best fit, and this feels like an epic presentation of a ritual.